Undergarment Positioner Apparatus

ABSTRACT

An undergarment positioner apparatus for assistance putting on undergarments includes a ring body having an outer side, an inner side, a first end, and a second end. The ring body is semi-rigid and elastically bendable into a circular position with the first end overlapping the second end. A first engagement member is coupled to the outer side of the ring body adjacent the first end and a second engagement member is coupled to the inner side of the ring body adjacent the second end. The first and second engagement members are selectively engageable to maintain the ring body in the circular position. A waistband of the undergarment is folded around the ring body in the circular position before being stepped into.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to clothing assistance devices and more particularly pertains to a new clothing assistance device for assistance putting on undergarments.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to clothing assistance devices and typically utilizes a strap, clips or a hanger like device. Existing devices are not geared for undergarments and do not address the dangers for elderly or disabled people trying to disentangle their legs. Existing belt devices are also not intended for use with underwear and do not create a semi-rigid ring shape.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a ring body having an outer side, an inner side, a first end, and a second end. The ring body is semi-rigid and elastically bendable into a circular position with the first end overlapping the second end. A first engagement member is coupled to the outer side of the ring body adjacent the first end and a second engagement member is coupled to the inner side of the ring body adjacent the second end. The first and second engagement members are selectively engageable to maintain the ring body in the circular position.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an undergarment positioner apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 7 thereof, a new clothing assistance device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7, the undergarment positioner apparatus 10 generally comprises a ring body 12 having an outer side 14, an inner side 16, a first end 18, and a second end 20. The first end 18 and the second end 20 may be semicircular. An upper edge 22 and a lower edge 24 of the ring body may be rounded. The ring body 12 is thus comfortable to be manipulated by the user and prevents injury when stepped on. A length of the ring body 12 may be equal to at least 30 times a width of the ring body 12 and is ideally 32 times the width of the ring body 12. The width of the ring body 12 may be equal to at least 20 times a thickness of the ring body 12 and is ideally 24 time the thickness of the ring body 12.

The ring body 12 may have an inner core 26 and an outer shell 28 continuously coupled around the inner core 26. The inner core 26 is semi-rigid and elastically bendable into a circular position 30 with the first end 18 overlapping the second end 20. The outer shell 28 conforms to the shape of the inner core 26 and may be, but is not limited to, a plastic or rubberized material for improved durability, user comfort, and to prevent damage to an undergarment 32. The ring body 12 must be easily bent into the circular position 30 by an elderly user and sufficiently rigid and elastic to maintain a rounded shape without collapse.

A first engagement member 34 is coupled to the outer side 14 of the ring body adjacent the first end 18. The first engagement member 34 may extend from adjacent the first end 18 to beyond a midpoint 36 of the ring body. A second engagement member 38 is coupled to the inner side 16 of the ring body adjacent the second end 20. The second engagement member 38 may extend from adjacent the second end 20 to beyond the midpoint 36 of the ring body. The first 34 and second engagement members 38 are selectively engageable to maintain the ring body 12 in the circular position 30 at a desired diameter depending on the user's waist size.

Each of the first engagement member 34 and the second engagement member 38 may be, but are not limited to, hook-and-loop fasteners, snaps, magnets, or other selectively engageable fasteners. Each of the first engagement member 34 and the second engagement member 38 may be obround strips conforming to the shape of the ring body 12. The first engagement member 34 may define a first equal perimeter region 40 with the first end 18, the upper edge 22, and the lower edge 24. The second engagement member 38 may define a second equal perimeter region 42 with the second end 20, the upper edge 22, and the lower edge 24.

In use, the user engages the first 34 and second engagement members 38 to put the ring body 12 in the circular position 30 with a circumference larger than his or her waist. The user then places the undergarment 32 through the inner side 16 and folds a waistband 44 of the undergarment over the outer side 14. The user may then safely and easily step into the undergarment 32 and raises the apparatus 10 up to his or her waistline before disengaging the first 34 and second engagement members 38 and removing the apparatus 10.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

I claim:
 1. An undergarment positioner apparatus comprising: a ring body having an outer side, an inner side, a first end, and a second end, the ring body being semi-rigid and elastically bendable into a circular position with the first end overlapping the second end; a first engagement member coupled to the ring body, the first engagement member being coupled to the outer side adjacent the first end; and a second engagement member coupled to the ring body, the second engagement member being coupled to the inner side adjacent the second end, the first and second engagement members being selectively engageable to maintain the ring body in the circular position.
 2. The undergarment positioner apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the first engagement member extending from adjacent the first end to beyond a midpoint of the ring body; the second engagement member extending from adjacent the second end to beyond the midpoint of the ring body.
 3. The undergarment positioner apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the first end and the second end being semicircular.
 4. The undergarment positioner apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an upper edge and a lower edge of the ring body being rounded.
 5. The undergarment positioner apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the ring body having an inner core and an outer shell continuously coupled around the inner core.
 6. The undergarment positioner apparatus of claim 5 further comprising the inner core being semi-rigid and elastically bendable into the circular position, the outer shell conforming to the shape of the inner core.
 7. The undergarment positioner apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a length of the ring body being equal to at least 30 times a width of the ring body.
 8. The undergarment positioner apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the width of the ring body being equal to at least 20 times a thickness of the ring body.
 9. An undergarment positioner apparatus comprising: a ring body having an outer side, an inner side, a first end, and a second end, the first end and the second end being semicircular, an upper edge and a lower edge of the ring body being rounded, the ring body having an inner core and an outer shell continuously coupled around the inner core, the inner core being semi-rigid and elastically bendable into a circular position with the first end overlapping the second end, the outer shell conforming to the shape of the inner core; a first engagement member coupled to the ring body, the first engagement member being coupled to the outer side adjacent the first end, the first engagement member extending from adjacent the first end to beyond a midpoint of the ring body; and a second engagement member coupled to the ring body, the second engagement member being coupled to the inner side adjacent the second end, the second engagement member extending from adjacent the second end to beyond the midpoint of the ring body, the first and second engagement members being selectively engageable to maintain the ring body in the circular position.
 10. The undergarment positioner apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a length of the ring body being equal to at least 30 times a width of the ring body.
 11. The undergarment positioner apparatus of claim 9 further comprising the width of the ring body being equal to at least 20 times a thickness of the ring body. 